How to make the best portable bass guitar cleaning and maintenance kit

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Cleaning and maintaining a bass is easy at home, but what about on the road or at a gig?

You can easily create a small cleaning and maintenance kit to fit in your gig bag or case that you will use again and again. Here is a list of what to pack.

1. A wrench for every screw and nut on your bass

Pack an allen key for your truss rod, saddle screws, pick guard screws, output jack nut, string tree screws, everything. For any screw or nut that can be turned, pack a wrench for it.

2. 0000 grade steel wool or jewelers grade polishing cloth or both

This is good to have for very light polishing. Steel wool is only used for light fret polishing. The cloth can be used everywhere else.

3. Rubbing alcohol

This is good for cleaning connectors but not the finish. 70% alcohol is best because 91% dries too quickly.

4. Cotton squares

These are very good for spot cleaning and pack flatter than cotton balls do.

5. Plugin electronic tuner

You need this for adjusting the intonation on your bass. The plugin is better than clip-on because it accurately measures open note vs fretted 12th fret note.

6. Wire cutters

You need these when changing strings.

7. Extra strings

Always carry at least one extra full set.

8. Resealable plastic bags

Use these bags to separate your cleaning supplies from your tools. Also have one large bag to put all the small bags into. This keeps everything clean and tidy so there is no dirt on anything when you go to use your kit.

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